'Leave it the way it is': Donald Trump says people should use whatever bathroom they feel appropriate

Donald Trump. Screenshot/NBC Donald Trump on Thursday suggested that transgender people should be able to use whatever bathroom they feel appropriate, criticizing the "problems" emanating from a controversial new North Carolina law.

Trump was asked during a Thursday town-hall event on NBC's "Today" show about North Carolina's law, which has been painted by critics as anti-transgender. It directs transgender people to use public bathrooms that match the gender on their birth certificates.

North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory, a Republican in the midst of a re-election fight, has faced condemnation from businesses who canceled plans to move to or expand in the state in the aftermath of the law's implementation.

"North Carolina did something that was very strong, and they're paying a big price," Trump said.

He added that "there have been very few problems" involving transgender use of bathrooms.

"People using whatever bathrooms they want. ... There has been so little trouble," he said. "The problem is is the strife, the economic punishment they're taking."

Trump also suggested he would be fine with Caitlyn Jenner, a famous US Olympic athlete and prominent transgender celebrity, using any bathroom she wanted at Trump Tower.

"That is correct," he told "Today Show" host Matt Lauer during the early-morning town hall.

"You know, there's a big move to create new bathrooms, the problem with that, for transgenders, first of all I think that's discriminatory in a certain way, it would be unbelievably expensive for businesses and for the country," Trump said.